Maple Lam said to do thumbnails of entire mentor text on one sheet and look at whole piece. Have you tried that, Carrie and if you did, did you see how the piece worked?Carrie: I use thumbnailing to assist me with my own manuscripts, Kaye, but I have yet to try that with a mentor text. Instead, I sometimes type up the entire mentor text, taking time to explain in words what each illustration shows and how it interplays with the text. Although I do think visually, my thumbnails are not able to relay the same beauty, feeling, and detail that is shown in the illustration.I can get more detail by relaying it in words, and this immediately sparks the visual picture I have saved in my mind.I used this technique while studying A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black. I chose to study this book to help me master persuasion in manuscript I was working on at the time.

Here are a few paginated examples from that study: Pages 10-11 [Normal sloppy, realistic looking pig illo mostly on p 11 with gray shadow shading coming into p 10- white space on p 10 w text]“The only problem is, a pig parade is a terrible idea.” Pages 26-27 [full spread of pigs gathered around hay and record player feeling sad. First line of text on 26, rest on 27]“No they will not.They will play sad, sad country music ballads with titles like, “My Tears Are Wet ‘Cause My Mud’s Gone Dry” and “I just Wanna Plop into This Bucket of Slop.” That kind of music is fine for slow dancing at hoedowns, but is not appropriate for a parade.” If you would like to try thumbnailing instead, check out THIS POST by Pam Brunskill over at Marcie Atkin’s blog. Pam uses text vs. pictures, as well, but in a thumbnail layout. So, what works for you? Feel free to share in the comments below. Thanks!

Carrie, I usually do thumbnails...I can't draw but I put the words on the page and think about what would be there. But I have typed up two manuscripts as an exercise, and one of them was A Pig Parade...! Long text...602 words! But I loved that book.

Reply

Carrie Charley Brown

5/28/2015 02:01:04 am

Thanks for sharing, Carol!

Reply

Marcie Atkins

5/28/2015 01:34:00 am

Love, love, love Pig Parade. I've been using it for years with kids and they love it. Great for tone and persuasive texts. Thanks for the double mention to the blog posts. :)

Reply

Carrie Charley Brown

5/28/2015 02:02:01 am

You are welcome, Marcie! Mentor Text gals needs to stick together!

Reply

Suzy Leopold

5/28/2015 04:35:16 am

Thumbnailing sounds like an excellent tool to use with mentor texts. I look forward to trying this with my summer school students and with my own writing. Think I will begin thumbnailing as I note vivid verbs, word choice, and lead that hooks the reader in my mentor text. It is a lovely book that you shared with me, Carrie: Sequoia by Tony Johnston.

Thank you for the bonus links.

Reply

Carrie Charley Brown

5/28/2015 03:52:09 pm

You are welcome, Suzy! Best wishes with your thumbnailing efforts, both for you and your students!

Reply

Jilanne Hoffmann

5/28/2015 05:06:02 am

I've been mostly typing in the text of my mentor texts without adding info about illustrations. Now you've got me thinking that I've been missing out by not recording what's in the images.

Reply

Carrie Charley Brown

5/28/2015 03:54:13 pm

Interplay between text and illustrations is so important, especially with lower word counts being the norm in today's market. I hope adding illustration notes during your pagination efforts helps you "see" the pictures, too.

Reply

Kaye Baillie

5/28/2015 03:14:14 pm

Really appreciate you doing this post, Carrie. I was asked by an editor to storyboard my MS as she liked the premise of the story and she wanted me to show her how I imagine it would be illustrated. Hard when I can't transfer images from brain to paper, but will do my best. What I've done so far has already shown a few problems with my text so it is really essential.

Reply

Carrie Charley Brown

5/28/2015 03:48:22 pm

Thanks for the great question, Kaye! Best wishes with your storyboard!

Reply

Leave a Reply.

Illustration by Lori Nawyn

ReFoReMo

March 1-31The ReFoReMo Challenge, or Reading for Research Month Challenge, was developed to help picture book writers reform writing by reading and researching picture books. Challenge registration opens February 15. To find out more or to subscribe to the Reading for Research Blog for weekly posts year round, visit our new exclusive site at www.reforemo.com.